PEOPLE under community service orders will spend time cleaning up forestry land and creating fire-breaks as part of a new drive towards ‘Restorative Justice.’

This scheme forms part of Operation Pitman III, launched by South Wales Police and community safety partners to tackle grass fires, scrambler bike nuisance and countryside crime this summer.

Last year Rhondda Cynon Taff had the highest number of deliberately started fires in Wales, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to property and the environment.

“This is a new element to our long-term partnership approach to reducing the risk of fires and criminal damage,” said Sergeant Richard Gardiner, head of Operation Pitman.

“By using people on community service to clear up problem areas they are less easily targeted by fire setters and arsonists and the devastating effects these fires have on the countryside and its wildlife can be reduced,” he said.

“ We also reduce the risk to people’s lives and property and the thousands of pounds spent on tackling these blazes. ”

The scheme forms part of the new drive towards restorative justice.

Operation Pitman will see dozens of uniformed and plain clothes officers and staff from other agencies - some with off-road vehicles, mountain bikes and some mounted officers - take to anti-social behaviour and biking hotspots in the hillsides and forestry around Cynon Valley and Merthyr Tydfil in the next few weeks.

They will tackle issues such as off-road bikes, abandoned vehicles, criminal damage to property, fly-tipping and arson that destroy the peace and natural environment of these areas.